Carpet Recycling and CollectionJuly 20, 2011

Labels found on Shaw’s carpet styles made from Anso Nylon 6 feature information regarding the postconsumer recycled content, as well as the recyclability, of these products. Recycling of carpets made from Anso Nylon 6, as well as other carpets made from the same type of nylon, is made possible by Evergreen Nylon Recycling, Shaw’s Nylon 6 recycling operation in Augusta, Georgia. The Evergreen facility converts post-consumer Nylon 6 carpet back to its original starting material, caprolactam?the building block for Nylon 6 fiber. The caprolactam from Evergreen is mixed with new caprolactam during the manufacturing process, and new Anso nylon fiber is made. Anso Nylon 6 carpets have received a System Allocated 25% Post Consumer Carpet Certification from an independent certification firm, Scientific Certification Systems (“SCS”). This certification is based on the allocated output of recycled fiber material from Shaw’s Evergreen Nylon recycling facility calculated as a percentage of total Anso Nylon 6 fiber output.

Evergreen Nylon Recycling, Shaw’s nylon recycling operation in Augusta, Georgia, employs patented technology that converts post-consumer nylon carpet and recycles it back to its original material – the building block for nylon fiber. As a result of this technology, carpets of Nylon 6 are capable of being recycled into new carpet repeatedly without the loss of any aesthetic or performance properties.

Partnering with a number of recycling companies, Shaw has established a collection network to bring post-consumer carpets to Evergreen for recycling. Currently, the collection system is operational in a number of locations throughout the country, and were adding areas to our network continuously. Although the recycling efforts may be limited at this time, the recycled content we are able put into our products from this process represents a nationwide environmental benefit.